


Make A Darker Color

by Honeywhisker



Series: Whumptober! [1]
Category: Final Fantasy XV
Genre: Ambiguous/Open Ending, Blood, Gen, Hurt, Hurt No Comfort, Stabbing, Whump
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-10-02
Updated: 2018-10-02
Packaged: 2019-07-23 17:25:42
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,400
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16163486
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Honeywhisker/pseuds/Honeywhisker
Summary: Noctis takes a break to be alone in the scorching Lestallum heat when he comes across a group of men looking to cause trouble. One in particular seems to have an issue with him and he's brought a knife.





	Make A Darker Color

**Author's Note:**

> Day one of whumptober: stabbing! Really wanted to try out hurting some favs of mine just because if youre going to play god as a writer might as well have some fun with it right?

Lestallum was hot on a good day and absolutely sweltering on a day like today. It was simply too hot but on top of that the majority of the groups clothes were all black. The others at least had darker shades of colors but Noct in particular was stuck with all black. When they departed Insomnia that was all he'd needed and getting new clothes didn't make it high on the list of necessities when food could still be hard to come by. 

So Noct wandered the blazing Lestallum streets wearing the royal colors. The black didn't help with the heat but he compensated by losing the jacket and finally following Prompto’s lead. On top of that he decided to head to the main street of the city, thinking the open air and distance from the meteor could help cool him down. Ignis and Gladio braved the heat of the crowded market and Prompto was busy pretending he was taking pictures of the fountain instead of leeching the cooler air. 

He passed groups of women on break, their jumpsuits tied at the waist. Most of the streets were crowded with other men though. There was one small group, maybe three people who were following him. Noct knew he should double back and find Prompto but these were just some low level thugs probably looking to cause trouble. 

He kept an eye on the people following him as he wandered aimlessly, making sure they were in fact following him and not just playing on his paranoia. 

It was when he stepped into an out of the way alley that he knew he was in trouble. Two more men stepped up to block his way out and the ones behind him closed in as well.

“So, we can just go ahead and skip to the part where you hand over all your cash, pretty boy, or we get to rough you up before we take all your cash. Your choice,” the man who seemed to be in charge said. He was posturing and seemed self assured. Noctis could use that ego against him. 

“What makes you think you could take me?”

The leader pulled a dagger from an arm sheath and twirled it casually, slowly, drawing attention to the blade. Once he felt all eyes were on him then he flipped the blade up to a secure hold. It reminded him of Ignis and Noct knew this man had experience with that blade. 

“An outnumbered, unarmed kid shouldn't really be getting mouthy. Why don't you just hand over your wallet and we can all just walk away.” 

There wasn't really any harm in giving in and giving the man his wallet. Iggy held all the funds needed for what he budgeted. Everything else was always in the Armiger. The only thing that would be harmed here is his pride. 

“If you want it that bad here,” he tossed the wallet at his muggers before crossing his arms over his chest. Not the greatest feeling but again there wasn't anything of worth in there for this very reason. “Are we done here?”

The flunkies moved closer out of the corner of his eye and he tensed at the slight escalation. 

“I'm not sure, you got anything else that might be valuable on you, Prince?” He dropped the title so casually that Noctis almost didn't register it. It had been a long time since someone outside of Ignis had addressed him as such. He jerked away from the leader with his dagger but forgot the two at his back that had moved up. Instead of the few steps of space he was expecting he instead found himself being wrestled to his knees as they held his arms behind his back. Gladio would never let him hear the end of it if he found out he was taken down so easily. 

“I don't normally get involved in ransom and human trafficking, it's too messy for my taste.” 

One of the men holding him fisted a hand in his hair and yanked his head up to make eye contact with their ringleader.

“Decided to make an exception just for me? I'm honored,” Noctis spat his retort and struggled as best he could against two larger men. He kept his eyes on the dagger even as the man holding it crouched in front of him.

“No. I haven't actually. You don't get any special treatment from me, Highness,” with that he thrust the blade forward and Noct felt as though he'd been punched in the chest. He felt air leave his lungs and coughed in the arms of the men holding him as he tried to get his breath back. A pickling heat was starting up where he'd been punched. Maybe he cracked a rib. It didn't matter, he's fought with a broken rib before, this was manageable. 

When the man reached over to wipe a blade on the black of Noct’s clothes then he understood. He'd been stabbed. The sharp burn in his chest started to spread with that realization and soon he could see the blood darkening his out black clothes. 

“Now I think I have everything I need. Knowing you died in a filthy back alley like trash almost makes everything Lucis did worth it in the end.” He must have signaled to his men cause the group dropped him to the floor and walked away as quickly as they appeared. Noctis could hear them laughing. 

He brought a hand up to his chest and tried to put pressure on the wound there but the heat there turned into a burning when he pushed down. He was aware enough to just be glad he hadn't lost enough blood yet to be numb but it didn't do much to make him feel better. He tried to reach into the Armiger for a potion or something to heal himself with but came up empty. 

If he couldn't be healed by magical means then he'd have to do it the old fashioned way. He heaved himself to his feet, trying not to think of the bloody handprints he was leaving. Noctis knew he needed to ride out his adrenaline high as far as he could because once that was over he'd likely be headed straight into shock if he didn't get help soon. His chest felt like it was on fire and he shivered at the feeling of blood rolling down his stomach. The steady pressure was helping and soon he had back tracked enough to make it into more populated areas. 

He was shaking and where the fire was before all could feel now was cold. He kept his eyes down and tried to let his limp hair hide his glassy gaze as he worked his way back to the fountain he remembered. Breathing was getting hard and his movements were sluggish but soon he was able to collapse against the side of the fountain, feeling the cold marble against his somehow colder back. There was a slight buzz of sound but it wasn't unpleasant. Almost calming actually and with the sun warming him up it was almost comfortable. 

Noctis was semi aware that someone was talking to him. He lifted his eyes only when he felt added pressure to his chest. It brought back a bit of the fire from before and he tried to bat the persons hand away. Vaguely he heard what they were saying to him.

“It's alright Noct, we'll get this sorted out.”

He wanted to laugh. It seemed like such a small thing to be worried about in the grand scheme but here was Prompto trying to assure him that he'd make it through this. His friend looked concerned and seemed to only be growing more so the longer Noct was silent. 

“Noct, buddy? You still with us?”

“I think I was stabbed,” he slurred. Somehow that didn't help the anxious look on his best friends face. There was an unexpected pressure on his shoulders and behind his knees, causing him to try and curl up but Prompto held him tight. Any other time he might have laughed at the idea of Prompto being able to carry any of them, but adrenaline don't just work on stabbing victims apparently. Noctis let his head rest against his friends chest as he was carried. “Next time I don't think I'll wear black.”


End file.
